Entering the Conversation: A Feminist Analysis of the Prologue and Tale of the Wife of Bath Inspired by Elaine Tuttle Hansen’s “’Of his love daungerous to me’: Liberation, Subversion, and Domestic Violence in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale”

Introductory Question 3-minute Quickwrite Based on how he presents her in both her prologue and tale, does Chaucer appear to intend for his audience (of predominantly men) to deplore the Wife of Bath’s behavior or find it amusing?

Process for Each Statement  For each statement presented, you and your group will have three (3) minutes to:  Devise a response to the statement affirming or negating it.  Provide evidence for your support or refutation of the statement.  Prepare to discuss and evaluate these statements as a class.

Statement #1 The Wife of Bath presents an authentic, psychologically believable female voice.

Statement #2 The Wife of Bath is a liberated woman.

Statement #3 The Wife of Bath ultimately endorses misogynistic views of women.

Statement #4 The Prologue and Tale normalizes or at least makes somewhat acceptable violence (physical or otherwise) against women.

Statement #5 The Prologue and Tale truly reveal that what women want is power and control.

Let’s return to that initial question… Based on how he presents her in both her prologue and tale, does Chaucer appear to intend for his audience (of predominantly men) to deplore the Wife of Bath’s behavior or find it amusing?

Wife of Bath final discussion questions  General Prologue and Wife of Bath’s Prologue 1.Consider the metaphors of the cups and the bread (in the prologue). How does she use these metaphors to justify her behavior? 2.How does the Wife’s view of love (as presented in the prologue) contrast with the courtly love with which we are familiar?  Tale 1.How do the romantic elements in this Breton lay contrast with what we’re accustomed to seeing in a medieval romance? 2.How is this tale also an exemplum? 3.How are women portrayed in contrast to men, both in the prologue and the tale? 4.How is the tale itself related to the prologue which precedes it?

The Pardoner  The Pardoner’s Prologue 1.How does Chaucer portray the Pardoner? 2.What societal critique does this reveal?  The Pardoner’s Tale 1.What is the genre? How do you know? 2.What does the tale reveal about society? 3.How does the prologue affect our view of the tale itself?

Create this chart SectionGenre(s)Elements of satire Critique of society/religion Important Lines General Prologue Wife of Bath’s Prologue Wife of Bath’s Tale Pardoner’s Prologue Pardoner’s Tale